A Very Hylian Christmas
by TheLegends4
Summary: Saria Harkinian is your everyday, average teenage girl, except she's not. She's royalty, and she hates it because her mother, Queen Zelda, is trying to find her a suitor before she finishes school. When the Narine Prince, Samuel, tries to win her heart, will she blow him off just like the others before him? Or will the Christmas spirit change her heart? Rated T for teen drama
1. Chapter 1

**The Legend of Zelda: An Ocarina of Time Christmas Story**

* * *

**_*Thursday, December 19, 735*_**

Snow. One of Zelda's favorite parts of winter. That, and a steaming mug of hot chocolate.

Out of her family of three, Zelda was the most enthusiastic about winter, especially Christmastime. Her husband, Link, found Christmastime enjoyable, but winter was now his greatest enemy ever since he had defeated Ganondorf so many years ago. As for their daughter, who was named Saria in honor of Link's childhood friend, she really had no cares for anything, even Christmas.

"But Christmas is the greatest holiday of the year," Zelda would say to her. "There's feasts, caroling, dancing, and so much more! And the snow is always so lovely."

Saria would always roll her eyes at her mother. To her 16-year-old mind, the only thing that was actually lovely about winter was the extra sleep she was able to get after a long semester of schooling. Her tutor was really sweet, a real jolly old woman, and she tried to pay attention in her studies so she wouldn't offend her. But in reality she couldn't stand the long hours of the day, learning things she already knew. Fortunately, this was her last year of schooling. Unfortunately, that meant she would then have to find a suitor.

Out of both her parents, she seemed to like her father more when it came to finding a suitor. Link was one of those fathers who was really laid back, even with all the pressures of ruling a kingdom.

"Oh, you've got plenty of time to find a suitor." Link would tell her, much to Zelda's disappointment. "Once you've got all this schooling done, you should just relax and enjoy life. It's not like your mother's going to just make you get married as soon as you graduate. I certainly won't."

But her mother was persistent. Day after day after day Zelda would have young noblemen from different kingdoms come to the castle in hopes of winning her heart, but she just shook them all off. Now that it was Christmastime, Saria was going to be wooed by way more noblemen than any Princess before her. They were absolutely everywhere this season.

* * *

"Saria?" Zelda called from behind her daughter's bedroom door. Saria did not like the attendants barging into her room every morning, so her parents had to take care of it. Most of the time it was her mother. She didn't answer. She was sound asleep.

"Saria?" Zelda opened the door quietly and peered in. Saria was in bed, sleeping like the angel she was, at 8:30am. Zelda frowned.

"Saria Harkinian, what on earth are you doing still in bed?" She barged in and yanked open the bedroom curtains, letting in the bright sunlight that reflected off the newly fallen snow. Saria made a sort of hissing noise as the light entered her room, and covered her face with a pillow. Zelda sighed.

"Get up now, hon." She said. "The Narine Royal Family will be here in one hour! They're bringing their son, whom we've arranged to court you while they're here. I want you to make a good impression, OK?"

"You have GOT to be joking." Saria said, her voice muffled under the pillow.

"Get up and get ready, or I'll send the attendants in to help you."

Saria growled at her mother and threw off her covers. She was wearing only a nightgown, and her long, blonde hair was a complete mess. She didn't say another word and walked straight into her private bathroom to draw a bath. Once Zelda heard the water going, she walked out of her daughter's room, mumbling something about teenagers.

* * *

"My lord?" A butler asked, bowing.

Link was speaking with the royal cooks about the Christmas feast, which was happening in exactly one week. He turned to the butler who had asked for his attention.

"Yes?" He replied.

"The Narine Royal Family is here, your Majesty."

"Great Din, is it 9:30 already? The morning has just flown by!" He heard a door open up to his right, and Zelda walked out, accompanied by Impa, Sage of Shadow and her personal attendant. He walked briskly up to her, not stopping to talk to anyone else.

"Zelda?" He called. The Queen turned her attention to him and smiled.

"Hello, dear." She said sweetly. "You've been busy this morning."

"So I have. Where's Saria?"

Zelda groaned quietly. "She's upstairs in her room sulking. I tried telling her to get ready, but all she did was bathe and do her hair. She's still in her nightgown."

"I wonder why, though..." Link said sarcastically. Zelda was always one for pushing her daughter past her limit, making her do things that seemed too royal to her. Link, however, only made her do things when he knew she had to do them. He never really enforced the Royal Code on her, letting her do what she wanted most of the time. She always listened to him, only because he was much better at dealing with her than his wife.

"Can you go talk to her?" Zelda asked him. "I'll go talk to the Narine Royal Family for a while. Helen and I haven't talked in a while." Zelda was referring to Queen Helen of Narine, one of her best friends since childhood. Link nodded his head slowly, and headed up the stairs to his daughter's room.

* * *

Saria was sitting at her window, staring out at the navy blue coach that was parked outside the castle. The Narine Royal Family was just stepping out, dressed in thick fur coats to keep off the cold. Her mother walked out with Impa to meet them. The Christmas spirit was all over the Hylian Queen. She was so joyful as she greeted the Family, smiling the whole time.

_One of her many rules: A Princess must always smile._

She rolled her eyeballs at the thought, as she found her mother quite annoying when it came to the Royal Code.

There was a knock at her door. A heavy knock that was none other than her father's. He even had his own special code to let her know it was him. She bade him entry, and he came in quietly. He was dressed in a red tunic, styled after the tunic the Gorons had made for him during his great adventure. Zelda had tried to put decorations on each of his tunics, so he could wear them and look royal and Heroic at the same time. He wouldn't have it, though. So he had three replicas of his tunics made, and had Zelda modify those.

"They're just too valuable to modify," Link had said to Zelda when she had tried to decorate his green tunic.

Link stood in the middle of his daughter's room, trying to figure out what to tell her without making it sound like it was coming from her mother. As much as he loved her, he found her a bit too caught up in the royalty business, and several times both he and Saria wished they could just take a trip to Mareden or Narine, somewhere far from Hyrule. Ruling a kingdom was much too hard on them both.

"Let me guess," Saria said half-heartedly. "Mom wants me to put on something nice and come downstairs, right?"

"Yeah." Link said. Saria groaned loudly.

"She's way too controlling. Why can't I just have a day off of being royalty?" She buried her face in her pillow. Link sat down next to her.

"She's been royalty her whole life, just like you. She knows how to act, she just wants you to do the same."

"Well, maybe I'd rather be less like her. Do we even look anything alike?"

"I don't see how looks have anything to do with this, but you do have some differences from her. You've got my eyes and my hair color."

Saria breathed a sigh of relief. She sat up and put her hair in a ponytail, only to bring it back down again. Her mother had told her to braid her hair, not put it into a simple ponytail.

"It's just..." She started, trying to find the right words to say. "I don't hate her, but I just don't like her controlling my life. Especially with suitors and all that. Those are especially annoying."

"I know." Link replied. "But for today, can you at least be presentable for her? I promise, I'll have her give you the day off tomorrow so you can relax."

"She's not going to like that."

"That's her problem, then, not mine."

Saria smiled, hugged her father, then went straight to her large walk-in closet.

"Ten minutes." Link joked. Zelda was one for giving Saria the "10-minute mark". Saria simply laughed from behind her closet door. Link got up and left her room, making a mental note to ask Zelda for a day off. Not just for Saria, though. He needed one too.

* * *

Ten minutes later, the Royal Dining Room was lined with tables for all four of the Royal Families that were now in Hyrule. Mareden and Corea came shortly after Narine, and they were just entering the Dining Hall for breakfast. A choir of Elves, Hylians and Rito were off to the left, playing their instruments and singing Christmas carols, trying to keep the spirit of Christmas alive. Saria had finally come down, wearing a simple silk green dress and red vest over the top, and her hair was braided down her back. She looked royal, but had her own "commoner" style that even Zelda had to appreciate. She was talking with the three Princesses from each of the guest kingdoms: Joelle (Mareden), Serena (Narine), and Medli (Corea). They steered clear of the topic of boys, considering their similar visions of simpler life without courting. Instead, they talked about all of the different styles of clothing that were out in Narine.

Samuel, the Narine King's son and Saria's suitor, found himself quite alone in the Dining Room. There were no boys his age: Everyone was either a girl or an adult. Unlike Saria, however, he was quite keen on the courting business, and had some very special techniques up his sleeve to win her over. He was actually wanting to court her today, but there was no courting until tomorrow. Everyone was simply enjoying each other's company for today.

_I can at least say hello to her. It's not like I'm flirting with her... yet._

He stood up from his place, as not everyone was ready to eat yet, and walked up to the small circle of girls of which Saria was apart. They didn't notice him coming, and his voice startled them. Joelle almost fainted.

"Hello, ladies." He said. His sister, Serena, gave him a punch in the arm and scolded him for scaring them.

"Sorry," He barely flinched at the pain. He was quite tough, though his body didn't show it. "Just wanted to say hello, that's all."

"Well, hello, then." Medli said. Saria remained quiet, not making any eye contact with the Narine Prince.

"Good morning, Saria." Sam mused. "Sleep well?"

"Last time I checked," Saria said, sass in her voice. "One is not supposed to leave the table unless the meal is over or they have to use the bathroom. So if you have to use the potty, go somewhere else." The girls giggled.

Sam smirked at her remark. She was definitely a sassy one, especially for a Princess. But that wouldn't stop him.

"Last time I checked," He said, mocking her tone. "One may get up from the table before the meal starts for any reason whatsoever. Food's not here yet, so here I am."

As if on cue, the Hylian royal cooks stepped out of the kitchens and carried out large platters of breakfast foods. Sam blushed as his remark had been blown over.

"By the way, Sam," Saria sneered as the Prince began to leave for his seat. "I slept rather well last night. I dreamed I was off in the Kokiri Forest, climbing trees and playing hide and seek with the Kokiri children, like normal people."

Once again, the girls giggled at her statement, which made Sam look really stupid to them. He held his head high as he walked back to his seat, leaving the girls bursting with laughter as Saria continued talking about what "normal" people do, as compared to the royals.

_He can try to win me over as much as he wants. I'll just rip his self-esteem in half until he gives up. Goddesses, I love being me._

* * *

Lunch and dinner were the same: Sam tried to talk to the girls, only to be shut out and left to die in the rain of constant insults against him. He remained strong, however. One of his many tricks was to learn what the girl's personality was before he courted her, and then worked his way around that personality until she gave in. It always worked, but so far he had only tried it on common girls. Royals like him were another matter.

Saria was basking in her glory as she sent Sam back to his seat defeated for what was the third time that day. Her most recent insult went like this:

_Sam: "Are you ladies ready for the ball tonight?"_

_Saria: "If you mean us kicking you in the balls, then yes, I am."_

_Sam: "I would have thought your parents had taught you better."_

_Saria: "At least THEY taught me, as opposed to you and your army of attendants."_

_Sam: "Well, excuse me, Princess."_

_Saria: "You're excused. As in, you can leave now."_

"Gee, Saria." Serena said, watching her brother sit down at his table. "Maybe you shouldn't be so mean to him."

"What?" Saria squeaked. "And break my streak of warding off 45 suitors? Yeah, I don't think so."

"Why don't you want suitors?" Joelle asked. "Didn't your mom get married at seventeen or something?"

"Yeah, thanks to my dad, the Hero of Time." Saria glowered. "Maybe I just don't want to be like my mom. Maybe, I'd like to wait until I'm in my twenties to get married."

"That's why we love you, Saria." Medli said sweetly. "You're such a rebel."

"You know it. And I'm gonna turn Sam's Christmas into a nightmare."

"You don't mean...?"

"Oh, I mean it, alright. When the ball starts, we release the Kraken."

* * *

This first ball was one of twelve. The Hylian Christmas Celebration always started on December 19 and went to December 30, the day before New Years. For the past 15 years, Saria had enjoyed this Celebration, especially the dances. Now, in her 16th year, with suitors (including Sam) prowling all around to court her, it was going to be extra fun. Saria's regular suitors, the ones that were all Hylian noblemen and not that important, were easy to blow off with a quick-thought insult. Sam was the main target this year.

Saria wanted to get into the spirit of giving this year. For her friends and family, really nice gifts that she would place under the Christmas tree on Christmas Eve. For Sam, a boulevard of broken dreams.

There was a lot of lively music, with dance rings and people having a good time. When it came to the slower songs, Saria tried to avoid Sam as much as possible. But he watched her like a hawk and followed her around like a lost puppy. Things weren't going quite as well as she had planned, but as she danced she came up with other ways to avoid him.

On one occasion during the ball, she went to the refreshments table to grab a drink. Sam found her a few minutes later, while she was drinking a glass of water. He picked one up for himself and took a sip.

"Are you enjoying the night?" He asked her.

"Would be, but you're kind of stalking me, and it's creepy."

"Sorry. I didn't really think you'd care, since you're so rude anyway."

Saria coughed, purposely spitting water at Sam's chest. Sam jumped too late, and his front was immediately soaked.

"Sorry," Saria falsely apologized. "What did you *cough* just call me?"

"Oh, never mind." Sam said. "I've got to go change my shirt."

Sam left the table, leaving his drink next to Saria. Saria grinned and pulled out a small, dissolvable sleeping pill. She dropped it in Sam's drink and looked around, searching for anyone who may have watched. Fortunately, no one did.

When Sam came back, Saria was still at the table, watching his drink carefully. The last of the sleep pill had finally dissolved just as he broke through the crowds to get his drink. He was no longer wearing the navy blue tunic he had worn to the ball. This time, it was a lighter blue, with gold trimming.

"Thank you for watching my drink, Saria." Sam said kindly. Saria smiled, hiding her guiltiness.

"My pleasure."

Sam looked at her and raised an eyebrow, then took a sip. Saria looked at him, smiling evilly.

"Well," She said. "I'm going to find the girls. See you."

"Good-bye." Sam said, taking another sip. Then another, and finally finished the drink. Instantly he put his hand to his forehead and fell unconscious to the floor. Only a couple of Rito noticed and called for help. Saria looked back and saw the whole scene, grinning.

_Mess up his shirt: Check. Mess up his drink: Check. Let's see what else I can come up with that will ruin his trip and make him not want to court me._

* * *

**_*Friday, December 20, 735*_**

"Hey, Saria, did you hear about last night?" Joelle asked.

The four princesses were outside, walking through the castle gardens. It had taken some effort to get Saria to go outside, considering her preference to stay indoors. But Link ushered her and the girls out the door to go take a walk. He was still wondering how Sam had suddenly fallen asleep in the middle of the ball the previous night. He had to re-schedule the courting, which made Saria smile with glee.

"Yeah," Saria responded. "Sam fell asleep at the refreshments table. I was, like, the first to hear about it."

"It was really weird." Serena said. "First, he comes up to you to talk, and when you walk away, he just fell on his face, just like that." She snapped her fingers.

"What did you say to him that made him do that?" Medli inquired.

"It's more of what I did rather than what I said." Saria said, her face failing to hide a guilty smile.

"You didn't."

"I did. It worked perfectly."

"Isn't that illegal here, though?"

"No. It was just a dissolvable sleeping pill. Nothing harmful. I even spat water all over his tunic."

"You idiot!" Serena shrieked. "I gave that tunic to him for his 16th birthday!"

"Calm down," Joelle said. "It was just water. Not like it stains or anything. Besides, isn't Narine a watery country, anyway?"

The girls laughed as they entered the courtyard. They didn't notice Serena pick up a snowball until she hit Joelle with it.

"Speaking of water." Serena giggled. The girls saw this as a snowball fight challenge and split up. Saria and Serena teamed up and began building a wall to protect themselves from the oncoming barrage of snowballs. Joelle and Medli knelt down and began putting together their own snow fort. Halfway through their building, Joelle was hit in the back of the head with a snowball, and looked to see where it had come from, only to get hit in the face with another one. Medli retaliated for her with a flap of her wings, sending a wave of snow up and over Saria and Serena's snow fort, burying them, their fort, and their ammo.

"Hey!" Serena shouted, laughing. "No fair! We can't do that!"

"Just one of the many pros of having wings!" Medli grinned. "I had to do that at least once, I never get- Hey!" A snowball had just barely missed her face, and she returned fire with her own snowball.

As the girls laughed and threw snowballs at each other, they didn't notice Saria's parents watching from the window.

"I don't know what's gotten into her, Link." Zelda said. "She's blown off every single suitor we've thrown at her, and now she's attacking poor Sam."

"She's attacking you," Link corrected. "She's just trying to show you she's not a little princess anymore. She wants freedom."

"But she's royalty, hon. She has to rule the kingdom someday."

"Then let her do it herself." Link said. Zelda looked at him quizzically. He continued. "The Princesses before you did that. You did that for seven years yourself until I came back and married you."

"But that's the thing, Link. I don't want her to rule alone. She's our only child, she has to get married at some point."

"Then let's at least call off the courting." Link said, placing a hand on his wife's shoulder. "She can get married when she's good and ready. That's her decision, not ours."

Zelda looked down at the floor. Link tilted her head up and kissed her.

"But what will they think of us?" Zelda asked. "If I call off the courting, the Narine Royal Family and possibly everyone else will think us crazy and leave."

"Over courting? Zelda, look at the reality here. Courting isn't that big of a deal. Besides, we don't have to tell them anything. We get Saria to speak her mind."

"No." Zelda said stubbornly. "I will not have our daughter stop the courting herself. She will be courted until she finds someone to take your place as King."

Link sighed. "This is exactly the reason she doesn't like you, Zelda. You're forcing her to be royalty. She's sixteen, for Din's sake. She's a big girl now, let her ease her way into royalty herself. That's what I did."

"Precisely why she loves you better."

"She loves us both equally, I know it. She just doesn't like you forcing this stuff on her twenty-four-seven. Let her handle life. If she wants to be a commoner, let her. It's her life to lead, not yours to lead for her."

* * *

The girls panted heavily, each lying on her back in the snow. They had pelted each other with snowballs so much that they drained each other's energy to the point of exhaustion. The two snow forts that had been built were half-demolished.

"That..." Saria gasped.

"Was..." Joelle panted, clutching her chest.

"Totally..." Medli was close to passing out. The snow was so welcoming to her, lulling her to sleep.

"Awesome." Serena finished for them.

"We really need to get out of the castle more often while we're here." Medli said. "This was so much fun."

"Yes, yes it was." Saria agreed. Suddenly, she sat upright and looked around at her comrades. "I know what my next move will be."

* * *

The girls were sitting in Saria's room now, talking over Saria's new plan to get rid of Sam before he began to court her. Each one of them was somewhere in the room, Saria in the closet looking for her favorite blue and silver strapless dress with the Hylian Loftwing imprinted on it, Medli lying on the bed looking up at the ceiling, Joelle in the bathtub washing herself up for dinner, and Serena putting flowers into her carefully braided hair.

"We won't have enough time to execute the full plan tonight." Saria said, finally pulling out her dress.

"Is it that extravagant?" Joelle asked.

"Probably not as extravagant as my hair or dress." Serena said.

"Oh, I don't know." Saria mused, slipping the dress over her naked body. "I'm pretty beautiful, no matter what I wear or how I wear it. Anyways, yes, it's pretty complex. I plan on taking it all the way to Christmas Day."

"We're waiting THAT LONG?" Medli squeaked. "You'll have been courted by then!"

"No, no, young pupil." Saria giggled, fidgeting with the skirt of her dress to make sure it wasn't tucked in anywhere. "I'm extending the plan. It's going to take until Tuesday night to properly finish it." She stepped out of the closet, and Medli gasped.

"Oh my goddesses, you're BEAUTIFUL!" Serena poked her head out of the bathroom. She was in a long, silk red dress with sequins on the shoulders. Her hair was covered in flowers.

"Dress: Amazing. Time for hair. Come on." She said, pulling Saria into the bathroom. Joelle peeked around the curtain that gave her privacy in the bathtub. Her eyes widened.

"I haven't seen you wear that thing since last Christmas." She said. "I'm still jealous." Saria smiled.

"So, Saria, what's this big idea of yours?" Serena inquired, braiding part of Saria's long, blonde hair into a ponytail that ran through the rest of it.

"OK, so the plan goes off in steps: First, I lead him on, making him think I like him. Second, if he asks to marry me - which he will; all my other suitors tried - I say I'll think about it. My dad says the courting stops when I make my decision to marry him, which my mom says "WILL happen before Christmas Day", in front of everybody. I'll think about it for so long, he'll be itching to get my answer. Third, when I've left him in suspense long enough, I'll break it to him on Christmas Day that I don't want to marry him."

"And when should he ask you?" Joelle snickered.

"That's where the good part comes in: The more I flirt with him, the sooner he asks. If I flirt with him tonight and tomorrow, he'll probably ask me to marry him tomorrow at the ball, in front of everyone. And I'll be leaving everyone in suspense. The more people that know, the better it is to crush Sam's heart."

"But won't they find you kind of, I don't know, heartless?" Medli asked.

"No, because I'm also going to explain why I say no. I don't want to get married until I'm older, which is what I told you."

The girls "aahed" in unison, understanding Saria's motive.

"There." Serena said, finishing Saria's hair. It had a small white flower at the end, and a larger one at the beginning, where the back of her head was. There were two strings of golden beads running through her hair in a criss-cross pattern. Serena had really outdone herself with it. Joelle stepped out of the bathtub, a towel around her body and her hair, and stood motionless as she marveled at the two beauties standing before her. Medli jumped off the bed to get a closer look at Saria.

"Two down, two to go." Saria smiled.

* * *

_**So, because it's Christmas, I wanted to write a little Christmas story in the Zelda OoT universe. Yes, I'm a guy, but I know quite a bit about how girls act (And boy, is it annoying sometimes). **_

_**I'm also going along with the dates of the actual Christmas week this year (2013), in case you were wondering.**_

_**Thanks for reading!**_


	2. Chapter 2

Saria sat with Sam at dinner, as was her mother's request. They began talking almost instantly, staying far away from the sleeping pill incident. The other three princesses sat across from Saria, talking amongst themselves and not paying any attention to their friend's flirting. At least, trying not to. For Serena and Medli, it was quite simple, but with Joelle it was hard for her to take her eyes off the Hylian Princess and her suitor. She thought it a shame that Saria was just going to give up a man like Sam by breaking his heart in front of everyone, especially on Christmas Day. It just didn't feel right. But she let it go, since it wasn't really any of her business.

Saria was coming up with plenty of instant lies to tell Sam, just to lead him on. She was actually beginning to see his own strategy: Seeing her weakness and using it against her. Her weakness was rudeness towards suitors. She hated them. She hated Sam. But she had a fool-proof plan to protect that weakness. And it was working beautifully.

Once the ball started, Sam asked Saria to dance. The ball always started with a slow song, then mixed between slow and fast songs until midnight. Each ball started at around 8am. Saria accepted the invitation, allowing Sam to lead her onto the dance floor. Sam led, Saria simply followed.

"So, Saria," Sam said. "Are you enjoying the holidays so far? I hear you and the girls had a snowball fight out in the courtyard after lunch today."

"Where did you hear that?" Saria asked, actually puzzled.

"Serena told me."

"Right, she's your sister. Well, it's not like everything has to be a secret, right?"

"Right."

There was a bit of an awkward pause for a brief moment. The song was soothing, almost like a lullaby. Saria was reminded of the pill from the previous night, and for a second, she actually regretted doing it. But she put the thought aside. She had to follow through with the plan.

"So," She started. Sam put a finger to her lips, and she giggled and pulled it aside.

"I'm trying to ask you a question." She snapped. Sam smiled, and Saria continued. "How are you liking Hyrule?"

"I'll like it better when the snow goes." Sam replied, winking at her.

"Really?" Saria said, her voice cracking. She was tired.

"Yes. I'd actually like to see Hyrule Field in the spring, when the trees are coming to life and Lake Hylia is just beginning to thaw."

"Uh-huh. Well, you'd possibly have to marry me to see that."

_Wrong move. Shoot! He's supposed to ask me about it._

"Well, then perhaps we can arrange something for that." Sam chuckled.

"I didn't say I wanted to marry you. Besides, you have to ask the question first. Isn't that how it goes?"

"So it is. But I think I'll wait until tomorrow."

Saria sighed. "We royals are way too fast when it comes to marriage."

* * *

_***Saturday, December 21, 735.**__*****_

_***Dawn of the First Day - 96 hours remain***_

Zelda was marching up the stairs to Saria's bedroom, very irritated and very upset. She kept a calm face, though.

She burst through her daughter's door and yanked open the window curtains. Saria jumped with a slight squeal, asking what her mother was doing in her room. Zelda resisted the urge to scream.

"You missed breakfast." She said.

"I was tired, mom."

"You were tired? You went to bed the same the night before. How on earth can you be tired?"

"You know, mom, we unmarried teens need sleep too."

"Well, speaking of marriage, Sam would like to propose to you, and you WILL say yes."

"But Sam and I just met! He can't seriously be thinking about marriage already!"

"Your father has already discussed this with him. The wedding will happen, Saria. I'm tired of bringing suitors in for you only to send them away because you won't marry them. Now get up and get ready."

Zelda walked out of her daughter's room without another word. Saria smiled. Everything was going according to plan.

_Just wait until mom hears my answer._

* * *

When Saria entered the dining hall, the scene was not as she expected. The people all stood as she entered, which was normal. But the setup was completely off. The tables were all arranged in a way so that it had an aisle down the middle, and Saria knew exactly what that meant.

_I think I can work with this._

She walked up the aisle to a platform, where Sam stood next to her father, dressed in a royal blue tunic and cape. Link wore his regal green tunic, a bit of a frown on his face. All Saria wore was a plain blue dress.

"What's all this?" She asked as she stepped onto the platform.

"Your mother wants to get the wedding over with." Link sighed.

"Well, I haven't been proposed to yet."

"That's what I'm doing now." Sam said, getting down on one knee and holding out a ring. Saria almost rolled her eyes.

"I'll give you my answer," Saria said. "When I'm good and ready. Now, I'm going back to bed. I'm not done sleeping."

With that, she stepped off the platform and walked out of the room, leaving her parents and Sam utterly shocked.

* * *

"You do realize your mom is mad, right?" Joelle stated. Saria rolled her eyes.

The two girls were walking along the hallways of the castle, admiring the Christmas decorum that lined them. People were running past them, some with Christmas gifts, others with decorations. None of them noticed the two royals.

"I know my mom is mad." Saria replied. "She grounded me for practically a lifetime unless I said yes to Sam, which will never happen."

"Why do you hate suitors?"

"I've told you and the girls countless times before: I'm too young to get married. My mom is only throwing them at me because she had suitors when she was my age."

"But your mom sent them off too, right?"

"Only because she didn't think they were the right person for her. She loved my father, and only him."

"And you don't love anyone?"

"Romance is not my thing, really. I just want to be a normal girl and get married at, like, twenty-three or something."

They entered the ballroom, where people were setting up for the next ball that night. People stopped to say hello to the girls, but nothing more. There was a large Christmas tree in the center of the room, half decorated. The girls avoided the dining hall altogether as they left the room.

"I still think you should just say yes." Joelle said. "He's a really sweet guy, you've just got to get to know him."

"Exactly! That's what I'm trying to do! But my mom just wants me to get married because she's tired of bringing suitors in for me. She doesn't even care about what I want."

"She does, Saria. She really does. She wants you to be happy."

"I want to be happy too, but not married."

"Then just tell her that. Tell Sam, for Din's sake! Stop this whole planning business."

"Neither of them are going to listen, anyway."

"Your dad is the King, isn't he? Get him on your side."

* * *

Much to Zelda's dismay, Saria didn't attend the ball that night. She went to her meals late and hung out in her room the rest of the time. Link didn't bother going to check on her, because he knew what was going on. Zelda was being much too persistent with a wedding. He had talked to her about just leaving their daughter alone, but she wouldn't have it.

"She's got to get married soon." Zelda had said. "She can't just live like a child forever. It'd do her some good."

"There's your problem, Zelda." Link replied. "You're forcing her to grow up. Let her LIVE, hon. I've told you this countless times already this Christmas alone. She has to live for herself, don't live for her. And stop with the suitors, it's annoying even me."

The failed "wedding" that occurred that morning was all over the castle. People were praising Saria for her courage.

"Surely you've got your father in you." Many would say. Or, "Your father should be proud to have you as his daughter." Either way, she was praised for holding off the wedding by herself, and Link was praised for raising her by himself. He was the first Hylian King to hold parenting and ruling in balance, rather than doing the latter and having attendants take care of the former. Zelda, however, was getting some rather dirty looks.

Saria could hear the music as she lay on her bed, reading her father's old journals. He had had an interesting life, to be sure. She was lucky he was her father. But marrying her mother was probably not the best choice right now.

She came across a certain entry as she was finishing up his last completed journal. It was dated Sunday, July 21, 735, two months exactly after her 16th birthday. It was addressed to her, which was a first for him since he never wrote directly to her through his journals.

_He probably knew I was going to read them anyway._

She began to read:

_"Dear Saria,_

_"Two months have really gone by quickly, haven't they? You've already had ten suitors, and you've turned down each and every one of them. You are just like your mother._

_"I know you probably don't like how your mother is pushing this whole suitor business. She was your age when she had to do this, and she turned down every single suitor she got until I came around. She practically skipped the courting and wanted to get married right away. So we did. And, to be quite honest, I don't regret it at all. _

_"Look, Saria, I completely support you on this one. I understand how much you don't want to get married right now, especially since you've still got another year of schooling to do. But I want you to do something for me: Don't hate your mother for this. She wants you to be happy. She just doesn't understand that you don't want any of this right now. I've tried to tell her to let it go, but it hasn't worked, as you've probably guessed by now. She's lived her whole life as royalty, just like you, and she acted almost exactly like you in some cases. But here's the reason she's been pushing this:_

_"If you haven't already read my journal labelled: The Great Adventure, then I suggest you read it. It'll make more sense. Anyway, hon, the reason your mother wants you to get married now is because she went through a dark adventure just like I did (She has her own journal on it, read it sometime). She had to endure a lot of pain, working for a man she hated whose name was Ganondorf. She did it all by herself, with no support from anyone. She was disguised, too, so even I had no idea who she was._

_"Because she had no support from anyone while enduring all that, she's been trying to get you married so you can have what she never did at your age. Now, there's absolutely no chance that Ganondorf will come back for another 200 years, but that doesn't mean that evil no longer exists. Should evil ever come around again, she wants you to have moral support from someone who will stay with you for "time and all eternity" and all that good stuff. _

_"Now, I'm not saying you HAVE to get married right now. I understand your desire to wait until you're older. Trust me, it'd be better if you did. What I'm saying is, don't hurt your mother because of all this. I know you don't want to break her heart._

_"Enjoy your life while you're young. That's all that really should matter._

_"Love, _

_"Dad."_

"So, you finally got around to reading them."

Saria jumped, shutting the book on her fingers as her father stood in the doorway.

"Ever heard of knocking?" She asked, flustered.

"Your door was open." Link said with a smile. "So, do you understand what I'm asking in that letter?"

"How do you-"

"You're at the end of the last book."

"Oh."

Link watched as his daughter put the journals into a neat pile and placed them on her dresser. She looked up at him with tears in her eyes.

"What am I supposed to do?" She asked. "I don't like Sam, but I don't want to make Mom anymore angry than she already is."

"Then tell her that."

"I have, but she won't listen! She doesn't care anymore."

Link pondered for a second. Zelda was acting a bit off. It certainly wasn't like her to be THIS persistent. Then again, it was Christmas.

"Maybe I can get Helen to talk to her." He said finally. "We can't seem to get to her, but she might."

"What about Sam?"

"Oh, tell him no already. Don't keep the boy in suspense." Link's eyes suddenly brightened. "Then again, don't tell him anything. Let's have some fun with him, shall we?" He smiled. Saria looked at him, thinking for a moment that he might know of her plan, but realized that the look in his eye gave away that he was completely oblivious, and her body relaxed.

"Yes." She said, grinning. "Let's do that."

* * *

_***Sunday, December 22, 735***_

_***Dawn of the Second Day - 72 hours remain***_

Saria yawned as she sat down at the breakfast table, putting on a rather happy smile.

"Still tired?" Her mother asked.

"Nah, just doing the usual reaction that one does when coming down to breakfast after a long night of sleep." Saria responded.

"A princess doesn't yawn at the table." Zelda stated. "It hurts your image."

"This princess does, and I'm still beautiful. I've yawned hundreds of times in my life already."

"That's not what I meant."

"I'm so glad you two aren't talking about boys and suitors at the table." Link said. "I'm tired of you two just glaring at each other over yesterday morning."

Zelda began arguing with Link about the previous morning, and Saria turned to her plate. Across from her, the other three girls raised their eyebrows and ignored the conversation between the two rulers. Sam sat down next to Saria, placing his plate in front of him.

"All-you-can-eat?" Saria asked, looking at the large plate of food before her suitor.

"There's so much breakfast food on the buffet table," Sam responded, placing his fork down before taking a bite. "It's kind of hard not to have an all-you-can-eat challenge. And I don't normally eat this much."

"So I've noticed." Saria took a sip of her drink.

"So," Sam asked. "Got your answer yet?" Zelda turned to look at her daughter as soon as she heard the question.

"Mm, still thinking. How about I tell you on Christmas Day?" Saria smiled at her mother, who frowned and looked over at Link for support, only to get the same exact smile. Except, Link's mouth was full, so his cheeks were puffed out a bit. Zelda turned back to her plate and cut off a tiny piece of sausage, eating slowly.

"Well, alright, if it's going to be a Christmas present." Sam said, going back to his food.

* * *

_**There's Chapter Two for ya! Final chapter coming soon :)**_


	3. Chapter 3

"Saria?" Zelda said, knocking on her daughter's door. It was almost noon.

"Yes, Mom?" Saria answered blankly, opening up the door.

"I just finished talking with Queen Helen about your little... suitor problem." Her mother said. To Saria, she was looking kind of guilty. "I think you and your father are right."

Saria was dumbfounded. Her mother was FINALLY listening to her about her problem with suitors?

"Your father told me about the letter he wrote you in his journal." Zelda continued. "What he wrote was true. And I just wanted you to have what I never could."

"Do I still have to marry Sam?"

"No. I now understand you don't want this yet. I've decided to respect your decision. But, I'd like you to tell Sam your answer as soon as possible."

"Christmas Day?"

Zelda sighed. "Alright. Christmas Day, then."

Saria smiled, and did something her mother had never seen her do since her 16th birthday. She hugged her tightly.

"I love you, Mom." Saria said. Zelda's eyes welled up in tears.

"I love you too, Saria."

* * *

The ball that night was much more enjoyable for Saria. Now that she and her mom had made amends, she could finally dance and have fun without worrying about her mother hounding her to dance with Sam more often. Life, it seemed, could resume without conflict.

Zelda was also enjoying the night. She no longer felt the need to move her daughter along like she had been doing before. Instead, she watched her daughter dance and have fun, and felt better about it. Even Link was beginning to notice.

"Finally made up, did you?" He smiled.

"Yes, we did." Zelda replied.

"Good. I'm glad. I think the spirit of Christmas has finally won over."

"That was Helen."

"She had more Christmas spirit than you did." Link stated, putting his arm around his wife and kissing her forehead. Zelda smiled, but did not reply.

Somewhere in the dance hall, Sam watched as Saria danced with the crowds. She had a different smile on her face, rather than the one she normally wore. This smile was pure joy, with a lot of Christmas spirit in it. It made him happy to see her like this.

He felt a pang of sadness, though. Saria was not warming up to him as he had hoped. One day she was rude and mean, the next she was happy and joyful. Sam's plan to use the former Saria's emotions against her was wrecked. And while he could still try to win her heart, he didn't have much to work with anymore.

_Perhaps this whole thing was a waste of time._

In his heart, he felt it was a waste of time even trying to flirt with the Hylian Princess. He knew she wouldn't choose him. He no longer cared if she chose him or not. She barely knew him, anyway.

As Saria danced, she happened to notice Sam standing off to the side. She motioned for him to join the crowd, but he shook his head and walked over to the refreshments table. Saria shrugged and kept dancing, not bothering to see what was wrong. She was done with he little plan. All that remained was the answer to his proposal. Which would definitely be a no.

* * *

_***Monday, December 23, 735***_

_***Dawn of the Third Day - 48 hours remain***_

Shortly after breakfast, Saria packed up her wallet and left the castle. She was asked to be accompanied, but Saria sweetly declined and walked down to CastleTown by herself. It was time to get her Christmas shopping done.

First, she stopped by the Happy Mask shop. Joelle had a cute little sister who wanted a mask, so she agreed to buy one for her.

The owner of the mask shop was just as creepy-looking as always, but he was a nice person with a lot of wisdom. He had tons of masks, including a large, purple heart-shaped mask that he said once held a terrible power. Not very kid-friendly.

She set her eyes on a Bunny Hood, a cute little mask with bunny ears. The salesman said this mask allowed one to run twice as fast and jump twice as far. Perfect. She slapped down the 20 rupees that were asked for the mask and left.

Next, she went into the Bazaar. Her father's old Hylian Shield had broken a few weeks earlier after using it against a massive Dodongo that had escaped the Dodongo's Cavern. Secretly, she had taken it to the Bazaar to get it fixed, and today was the day she could pick it up. She paid the store owner 80 rupees and slung the big shield over her shoulder, in the same style her father always carried it.

"Do you need a hand with the shield, Princess?" The owner asked.

"No, thanks." She said. "I've held this thing several times before. Shouldn't be a problem."

Saria's next stop was a women's beauty shop that had taken the place of the old Bombchu Bowling alley a few years earlier. There were clothes, jewels, shoes, everything a girl could ask for.

For her mother, she bought a beautiful silver necklace with a golden Triforce emblem on it. For Joelle, a new green winter coat, since her old one had torn shortly after they left the courtyard from their snowball fight. For Serena, a lovely silk blue dress that was the hit fashion in Narine, and imported from the same place. Serena had been looking for one, but they were always sold out. For Medli, a pair of earrings shaped like wings.

Her Christmas shopping was done, but there was one last place she needed to go to before returning to the Castle. She took the little pathway between the Bazaar and the Mask Shop to the Temple of Time, where the Master Sword was kept. Every year, two days before Christmas, she would always visit the Temple and try to get into the chamber where the Sword lay dormant. Ever since she turned six, she was always trying to get in to see the blade that her father used to slay Ganondorf. But every time she failed.

Her father had given the Ocarina of Time to her on her sixth birthday, which he said could only be used by the wielders of the Triforce and their descendants. Saria, being a descendant of two of those wielders, believed she had the power to use it as well. But after ten years she realized she could merely play it and hear its wonderful sounds. No magical events happened that were caused by her.

Inside the Temple, she placed her gifts on the ground and pulled out the Ocarina of Time from her wallet. She reverently put the instrument to her lips and played the one song she knew: the Song of Time. It's slow, holy melody echoed throughout the walls of the Temple, bringing an ambience that lasted for several long minutes. Nothing happened.

_Please, Sages. Just once. _

As if by divine miracle, the famed Door of Time opened up for her, revealing the legend that lay inside the chamber: the Master Sword. She marveled at the blade, and dared herself to come closer to it. She couldn't believe she was in the presence of the holiest sword in existence, the one sword that no evil heart could touch. She knelt before the blade, letting tears flow as she gazed into the golden jewels that were embedded in the hilt. Her father, the Hero of Time, had used this blade to defeat Ganondorf, and it was in this very chamber that her mother had sealed him. She felt so grateful for what they had done, for making the kingdom safe for her to live in. That was something no repaired shield or gold necklace could pay back.

Gathering her things, she played the Song of Time again, closing the door, and left the temple.

* * *

_***Tuesday, December 24, 735***_

_***Dawn of the Final Day - 24 hours remain***_

Christmas Eve. The big feast. The celebration of another safe year in Hyrule. It was chaos all over the Castle. Link and the other Kings were busy checking the kitchens to make sure the food was prepared on time. Zelda and the Queens were taking care of presents, along with several handmaidens and the four Princesses. As for Sam and everyone else, they got to play with the decorations for that night's feast and ball.

As wrapping paper was passed around and food was being cooked, everyone could feel the immense sense of excitement that radiated throughout the hallways. All anyone could even think about was that night and the next morning. Mostly that night.

* * *

When the night finally did come, the last-minute decorations were put up and the food was tested for poison. Everything was ready, and nobody had gotten hurt or killed, which Link thanked goodness for.

As the food was being placed on the table, Link stood from his seat to make a speech. The entire room fell silent.

"Thank you," Link said. "For coming tonight. For coming from your countries to celebrate Christmas and New Years with us. This really means a lot, since this is the first time in history that more than one country has gathered together for Christmas." There were cheers all around.

"This is also the twenty-third year since the defeat and banishment of Ganondorf, who attempted to rule our kingdom in an era of darkness. Because of his defeat, we have enjoyed twenty-three years of peace and happiness." More cheering.

"Now, without anything further, let us enjoy tonight's festivities!" And more cheering.

* * *

There was an immediate fluster of activity and clanking of dishes as people enjoyed the meal and conversed with their neighbors. Plates of food were passed around, drinks refilled, and several napkins replaced. The dining hall was messier than usual, but it was Christmas, so no one cared.

Saria and the girls were all over the presents that they had gotten one another. Their minds raced as they tried to figure out what they would receive, and were even more excited to see each others faces as they opened the gifts. Joelle's little sister sat with them and joined in on the fun, her six-year-old mind wondering what the girls had gotten her.

Even the ball was full of excitement, more so than the previous ones. Sam joined in this time, and a few times danced with Saria. But they didn't flirt, rather they simply talked as friends. Saria was beginning to enjoy his company.

After a few dances, Saria suddenly began to feel faint. She made her way over to the refreshments table, where she downed three glasses of water before her head stopped spinning. When it did, she saw the girls standing over her with worried looks on their faces.

"Are you OK?" Serena asked.

"I'm fine, I just..." Saria lied. She was not fine. She was feeling faint for some reason. Almost like...

_Sam's it. Sam's the guy I'm supposed to marry. But why? I'm not quite sure I even like him... yet._

"I'm going to bed." Saria said, standing up. The girls grabbed either of her arms to keep her up, leading her out of the ballroom and up the stairs into her room.

* * *

"Come on, right this way." Medli said as she and the girls led Saria to her bed. They laid her down underneath the covers, and Joelle put a hand to Saria's forehead.

"Well, you're not burning with fever, which is good." She said. "How are you feeling so faint? Is it the excitement or something?"

"Yeah..." Saria said weakly. "I just need some rest, that's all."

"Well, we'll stay here until you fall asleep, OK?"

But Saria was already asleep. And she was having the most horrible nightmare.

* * *

She dreamed she was in the place of her father, wielding the Master Sword and facing Ganondorf himself. The Dark Lord was taking the Triforce of Wisdom from her mother, and all she could do was stand there. She tried to move, to help her mother, but she couldn't do a thing. Then she heard Zelda scream something.

_"Run, Saria! Find Impa and Sam and get out of here!"_

It was then that Saria noticed Link's dead body lying before her, and tears instantly came to her eyes. Her mother kept screaming, but she stayed where she was. There was no point.

Suddenly she was yanked backwards onto her feet. She struggled to get away, but the grip was strong. She looked behind her to see who was grabbing her, and felt an instant sense of relief when she saw Impa.

_"Come, Princess. There is no place left for you here."_

_"Where's Sam?" _Saria heard herself asking. Why would she ask about him?

_"He's outside. Let's go."_

Impa led her out of the castle and over to Sam, who was busy killing a Stalfos. Once the monster was dead, he mounted a white steed and helped Saria up. Impa mounted a brown horse with a white mane, who Saria recognized as Epona. They rode off southward, far away from Hyrule as it fell to the dark wishes of Ganondorf.

* * *

_***Wednesday, December 25, 735***_

_***Dawn of a New Day***_

Saria woke up in a cold sweat, breathing heavily. The images of Hyrule Castle burning to the ground and her parents dying before her to the hands of Ganondorf were still burned into her eyes. There wasn't much else she could see except for the interior of her bedroom, safely inside the Castle and intact.

And Sam. Sam was waiting for her. He had taken care of a Stalfos so she and Impa could go up with her parents and save Hyrule. And when they left, she could remember crying into his shoulder as they fled the country for the last time.

_Do I actually love him? I've only known him for a few days. _

Slowly, she got out of her bed, still dressed in her evening clothes. She stripped down and drew a bath, washing herself clean from the sweat. Then she put on a simple red cloth dress and walked downstairs.

* * *

Everyone was gathered around the great Christmas Tree, all awaiting Saria's arrival. No presents had been opened, and Joelle was restraining her little sister so she wouldn't attack the present Saria had bought for her. Saria sat down next to her parents, wearing a nervous face. Her mother noticed.

"Are you alright?" She asked.

"Just... nervous." Saria replied.

"About giving your answer to Sam?"

"Yeah."

Zelda smiled and turned to her husband. "I think we've finally caught one." She said. Link grinned, then turned his attention to a butler who had just come up to him, holding a large, heavy box from Saria.

"They await you, Majesty." He said. Link thanked the butler and took the present from him. He peeled off the wrapping paper and flipped open the box. His jaw dropped.

"Is this...?" He stuttered, looking at his daughter and holding up his Hylian Shield.

"I took it to the Bazaar and they fixed it for me." Saria said, forcing a smile. "Good as new."

"Thank you." Link said. He looked at the crowd and nodded his head, signaling the start of the gift-opening. But no one moved an inch, and Saria swallowed hard.

"Umm..." Link said to the butler. "What's wrong?"

"I believe they want to hear the Princess' reply to Prince Sam's marriage proposal, Your Majesty." The butler replied.

"Oh." Link turned to Sam, who got up from his seat and walked up to Saria, kneeling down on one knee in front of her. Saria swallowed hard again, and was beginning to feel the trickle of sweat running down her forehead.

"It's a yes or no question." Sam whispered, smiling. "It'll just take a second, I promise."

But Saria didn't say a word. She sat there, looking around at everyone who was waiting for her answer. She looked at Joelle, who was struggling now to hold back her little sister. Her fingers clutched the armrests of her chair, and she figured if she squeezed any tighter the armrests would shatter. She couldn't breathe, couldn't speak, she couldn't even move. She was so scared of saying yes and shocking everyone after her rudeness, or saying no and losing the man she apparently - and surprisingly - loved. Nothing came out. And already about 30 seconds had gone by.

_Just do it, girl. Finish the plan._

"No." She said finally. Sam nodded his head and was about to stand up when she continued. "I mean, yes, I'll marry you, but no, not at this very moment." Sam raised an eyebrow, and Zelda gave herself a face-palm. Link, however, was smiling. Everyone else was just silent.

"What are you talking about?" Sam asked.

"Look, there's a few reasons why I want to wait." Saria said. "First, I think we're too young to get married. Sixteen is just too young, in my honest opinion. Second, we barely even know each other. We only met a few days ago."

There were whispers everywhere, and the room was filled with the humming of quiet voices. Link stood up and raised his hands to quiet everyone down.

"My daughter has made a very clear point." He said. "This whole courting business that's been the talk of the season has been quite a strain on all of us. Perhaps, it is best that even we royals should choose who we want to marry and when, rather than having all this chaos." Several nodding heads. Serena moved over to Joelle to help hold back her little sister, who was really, really strong for a six-year-old. Link continued. "So, let's just forget all this suitor business and enjoy the rest of the season as friends, shall we?"

The people cheered, and they began opening their presents. Joelle finally let her little sister go, and she dove head first for the box addressed to her from Saria. She ran back to her older sister and ripped off the wrapping paper. Saria watched her squeal with joy when she pulled out the Bunny Hood. Sam tapped her shoulder, and handed her a small box. She opened up the box and pulled out a note.

_"Figured that little stunt from the first night was yours. Who else do I know __would put a sleeping pill in my drink?_

_"Anyway, I figured I'd get back at you just because that's your style. Merry Christmas, Saria._

_"-Sam"_

Inside the box was a little bottle of dissolvable sleeping pills. Saria laughed, remembering that first night. She was glad he had forgiven her, and for a minute she felt like kissing him, but refrained.

_I can wait._

She laughed as Joelle's little sister raced around the room in her Bunny Hood, literally going twice as fast.

"It's so cute!" She squeaked as she ran.

* * *

_**THE END.**_


End file.
